Wednesday, March 23 2005 12:57 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: India will soon join the select band of three countries making heavy aircraft carriers when Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee launches construction work on the 37,500 tonne displacement indigenous carrier at Kochi on April 11.

The carrier, designed to operate a mix of Russian MiG-29K - naval version of the light combat aircraft, sea harriers, advance light helicopters and anti-submarine and maritime reconnaissance Kamov-31 helicopters, is expected to be delivered by the Kochi Shipyard by early 2012, Vice Admiral Yashwant Prasad, vice chief of the naval staff, said in New Delhi.

So far only United States, France and United Kingdom have the expertise in manufacturing aircraft carriers. The Russian Navy after building two carriers of over 40,000 displacements has stopped manufacturing air Defence ships.

One of these carriers Admiral Gorshkov is currently undergoing refit for the Indian Navy and would be delivered by 2008.

The 252 metre-long indigenous carrier is capable of reaching top speeds of 28 knots and would carry 160 officers and 1,400 sailors having two runways with 200 metre-long ski jumps and a landing deck.

Powered by four LM2500 Gas turbines, the carrier would have an endurance of 7,500 nautical miles staying in high seas for over 45 days at a stretch. Prasad said that the warship would be capable of carrying a maximum of 30 fighters and 17 of them can be accommodated in the hangars.